Canada's Birth Control Lag: Why It's Still Prescription-Only

In Canada, oral contraceptives, widely used by women, remain accessible only by prescription. This contrasts sharply with most countries worldwide, including the United States, Saudi Arabia, and European nations, where they are often available over-the-counter. Health Canada's stringent requirements for approving drugs for non-prescription sale, including costly local clinical trials, deter pharmaceutical companies.

While progestin-only pills like Slynd are safer and could potentially be offered without a prescription, drug manufacturers, such as Duschesnay Canada, state their business models focus on prescription medications. This adherence to prescription status, despite decades of research on safety and effectiveness, is attributed by some to outdated prejudices and systemic barriers.

The prescription requirement, intended to monitor side effects, is complicated by doctor shortages and may prevent nearly a third of women from accessing birth control for the first time. Advocates argue this system is outdated and patriarchal, hindering access and potentially causing more harm than good.